slippey elm bark help

joeynox

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I've been trying to get slippery elm into my poor cat but I can't make it into a syrup. Every time I try it just turns out like soup broth. I mix a teaspoon of Deb I pull out of the capsules and put I in a 1/2 -1 cup of water (I tried both) and bring to a boil then let cool. My SEB is
Pictures and the ingredients other than Deb are these

Gelatin (capsule), cellulose and magnesium stearate (vegetable source). The capsules are large and I don't think I will be able to put one down her throat so what do I do? She's not eating because her belly is inflamed from all the vomiting
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Your problem may be two fold:

1)   You aren't using PURE SEB, and

2)  you aren't boiling it long enough

it's possible that you aren't using the correct type of pay to cook it in either.  Here are the directions on how to do it from felinecrf.org:

Stovetop Method

Sprinkle 1 to 1.5 tsp of slippery elm bark powder onto one cup of cold water. If you are using slippery elm bark from capsules, you need pure slippery elm bark with no fillers, otherwise the syrup will usually not thicken properly.

Let it sit until the powder is damp, then bring to the boil stirring constantly. Use a stainless steel or heat-proof glass pan, not an aluminium or non-stick one. Reduce the heat and simmer, still stirring constantly, until it thickens, about 3 minutes or so. It will be the consistency of watery egg whites.

From that same site, here is a recipe for making it in the microwave, although I've found that a 2-cup measuring cup isn't quite big enough, since I kept having to open my microwave up to keep it from boiling over  .

Microwave Method

For the non-cooks among us, one of my support group members came up with this method.

Take a glass container which holds two cups. Put one cup of water in the cup. Add 1 to 1.5 tsp of slippery elm bark powder.

Heat in the microwave on high for about 1.5 minutes. Remove from the microwave and stir, then put it back in for about another 30 seconds. Keep an eye on it because you do not want it to boil over. Remove from the microwave and stir again.
 
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joeynox

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I got some new seb in powder form with no other ingredients in it and it still cane out like broth.

Here's what I did:
1 teaspoon of seb
1/2 cup cold water
Mixed the seb into the cold water
Then I boiled it and stirred the entire time.
I let it cool.
Seb= soup broth

Should I bring it to a boil on a high or low flame? I've been using a high flame?. I'm gonna try again and recorded it so you all can see I'm not crazy :)
 
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mrsgreenjeens

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What kind of pan are you using?  It needs to be either glass or stainless steel, then you need to SIMMER it for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, per the instructions that I copies for you above.  Is that what you are doing? 

You know, if nothing else, you can just give her the SEB by itself...it doesn't have to be made into a syrup.  Or you can give her the SEB "broth".  it's better than nothing...still has SEB attributes. Some people don't bother to make it into the syrup, just add some of the powder to a little bit of cold water and let it gel up and give it that way.  As with everything though, the trick is to get them to eat it.  My girl won't even lap up the syrup, even when I pour a little tuna juice on top
.  Are you planning on syringe this into her, since she doesn't eat much.  HOW is she sustaining anyway.  Surely SOME food she eats stays in. 
 
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joeynox

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I got her to start eating a little using the chicken baby food and deli lo sodium turkey. The deli turkey is the last resort thing to try. No matter how sick she is she will always eat it but it gives her diarrhea. So I started with the turkey , then added some chicken baby food with the deli turkey once she started on that I then removed the baby food and added some of her ziwipeak lamb and I plan on taking out the turkey this week. As for the SEB I tried using the broth and a syringe but everytime I tried that she vomited minutes later. I guess ill just use the capsules but cut them in half because they are big .
 
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mrsgreenjeens

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Wht happens if you mix some SEB powder into the Ziwipeak...will she eat it?  Or try taking 1/4 teaspoon of the SEB and let it gel up in 2 teas. water, then mix it into the ziwipeak and see what happens. 
 

nekolove

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What kind of pan are you using?  It needs to be either glass or stainless steel, then you need to SIMMER it for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, per the instructions that I copies for you above.  Is that what you are doing? 

You know, if nothing else, you can just give her the SEB by itself...it doesn't have to be made into a syrup.  Or you can give her the SEB "broth".  it's better than nothing...still has SEB attributes. Some people don't bother to make it into the syrup, just add some of the powder to a little bit of cold water and let it gel up and give it that way.  As with everything though, the trick is to get them to eat it.  My girl won't even lap up the syrup, even when I pour a little tuna juice on top
.  Are you planning on syringe this into her, since she doesn't eat much.  HOW is she sustaining anyway.  Surely SOME food she eats stays in. 
Hi Mrsgreenjeens, My kitty hates getting pills. I've had luck giving my kitty immune support herbs (Immugen) mixed into a little Viralys gel and dabbing it into her mouth. Could I do this with SEB powder rather than making the syrup? Mixing it into the food doesn't work as she doesn't always eat it or unfortunately vomits it up. 
 

mrsgreenjeens

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 Hi Mrsgreenjeens, My kitty hates getting pills. I've had luck giving my kitty immune support herbs (Immugen) mixed into a little Viralys gel and dabbing it into her mouth. Could I do this with SEB powder rather than making the syrup? Mixing it into the food doesn't work as she doesn't always eat it or unfortunately vomits it up. 
All I can say is...give it a try.  If she will doesn't spit it out, great.  And hopefully she won't vomit it up.  Seems odd that a cat would vomit SEB, since it should HELP in that area. 
 
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